Minister prices Bengal variety at Rs 20 & Agra variety at Rs 22 a kg

May 17, 2018

POTATO PRICES UP

GUWAHATI, May 16: The people of Assam’s capital, affected by skyrocketing prices of most of the essential commodities, have to bear the brunt of price rise of another item. Consumers who were buying potato at Rs 20 per kg are now purchasing the same between Rs 22 and Rs 25.

Price rise of potato has been experienced by consumers despite the fact that a recent meeting between Dispur and Onion & Potato Merchants’ Association, Guwahati fixed the price of potato at Rs 20 per kg. Potato price remained fixed Rs 20 till Monday.

“Today I purchased two kg of potato at Rs 50. Till Monday I was buying the item at Rs 20 per kg. This is simply evident of as to how black marketers are ruling the city market and hiking price of any item without any reason and even by flouting the government directive,” Bipul Das, a consumer said. Das is not alone. Majority of city residents are angry over sudden rise of potato price.

State Food & Civil Supplies Minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury, who recently took over the charge as minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal Cabinet, said price rise of any commodity without genuine reason will not be accepted. He said the issue of potato price has been discussed and reviewed recently. Choudhury instructed his department to fix the price of potato from Bengal at Rs 20 per kg and those imported from Agra at Rs 22 per kg.